In Your Shoes
by The Infamous Butterfly
Summary: Black Star was always resistant to the insanity waves. But nobody knew that anything can get to you with enough exposure. ONESHOT! Black Star goes insane


Disclaimer: I DON'T OWN SOUL EATER!!! I don't own any of the characters so don't sue! I did, however, create the alternate reality/storyline in which this fanfic is based off of.

This is yet another oneshot that my girlfriend and I have written, based off of our alternate storyline where Black Star is adopted. If you haven't already read **Bonds of Insanity**, please go back and read that one first, as it is set before this event and explains a bit more of the whole family relationship that Stein and Black Star have.

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The loud rain poured down onto the roof over the Patchwork Lab just outside Death City. Thunder and lightning periodically erupted in the sky, making the house light up with quick flashes, then back to it's dark domain. It was another normal night. A night of peace and quiet. A night in which Stein could lay back, have a drink, and perhaps even have some bonding time with Black Star. A normal night. What a joke. There was no 'normal' for Stein. Every night had become a hell. His insanity was threatening to take over his life, and even his soul.

At least tonight, it was a 'normal' night, per-say. Stein's insanity wasn't as bad tonight. The normal voices where telling him things, but they where hushed, and easy to ignore.

The doctor had been heading up for the living room, a few items in his hands. He had brought up a pillow and a blanket. Since he felt 'normal' tonight, He wished to watch a movie with his lover and his son. The fights flicked a bit, making Stein sigh. "If the lights don't go out..."

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. A lanky figure was in bed after a long day of being stressed out and trying to teach Black Star how to use other weapons besides Tsubaki. Needless to say it mostly didn't work out as images of the star child almost cutting himself in half with his scythe form flashed through his head. If anything happened to that boy, Stein would undoubtedly snap and rip the red head inside-out. He shuddered at the thought, an eyelid twitching as he rolled over just in time to hear a loud crackle of thunder, the lightning smashing through the damp air outside, startling the death scythe to the point he shot up and fell backwards out of bed. "GAH!" He then took time to recollect, a hand pressed to his chest as he tried to steady his breaths, face heavy in sweat.

Black Star was in the bathroom as he slowly brushed his teeth, still in a towel from his shower earlier. A crackle sent a shudder down the boy's frame as he stared ahead at his reflection. The beating sound of the rain against the window and another flash of light from outside. The weather, when it was like this, creeped him out, only because when it felt like this his father would slip into a deeper insanity. It frightened him. The weather had a certain feel to it, like as if it had a wavelength of it's own. The blue haired boy just hoped tonight would be more...sane.

Stein had made his way up to the living room, only tipping once (from shock of the thunder.). It had been a while since he could walk around freely within the night, so he had been savoring every moment of this. His yellow eyes moved over to the oddly off-colored pink couch, making him smile wide. He had reached his destination--- yet, no one was around. Throwing the stitched up comforter on the couch, long with his pillow, the doctor let out a sigh. "They must have already gone to bed." That's what he got for being such a night owl. With a small shrug, his heart sank a bit. Perhaps a night with the boys would have to wait. He wasn't one to drag someone out of bed. The doctor made his way out of the living room, and to the Kitchen, to make himself some coffee. He'd just have to watch a movie by himself. The lights flickered once more, and the rain seemed to get harder, pounding on the glass and windows like hands, attempting to get in.

A slow whispering wind gusts through the house as the lights flicker, sounding almost like someone sighing out a low "I'm here~".

Soon you can hear the high pitch squeal of a fearful Spirit as he clambered to his feet, almost tripping several times as he topples out of the bedroom doorway. Before Stein knew it, the ginger was behind the tall doctor, trying his best not to look scared as a smidge of wetness beaded at the corners of his cerulean eyes.

In the bathroom, Black Star only vaguely noticed the whisper, merely shrugging it off as Stein or Spirit being weird to each other again. He leaned forward, brushing his tongue to make sure it was clean with a "aughl" noise.

Stein's smile grew on his face, as he began to pour the freshly made coffee into a cup. He could feel Spirit's breathing from a mile away. "Senpai, what are you doing up so late?" Stein asked the red-head, his tone light and airy. Slowly, the other turned around, his hands leading on the counter top. "You're normally sleepy by now." his smile grew into a large _(normal)_ grin. "Did you miss me~?"

Spirit's eyes were wide as he tried to calm his breathing, his lips and form shivering slightly. "I...i-i heard something in the house and when I woke up, you weren't there so." He stood up, trying to look like totally not a coward, "I came to investigate." His lips parted into a cheesy hero-esque smile, hands on hips as he failed to make himself look brave, due to his trembling.

Stein's smile fell a bit. Herd something? No... There couldn't be anyone in the house. Stein would of felt their soul waves the moment they where near the house. Pushing off from the counter, he moved over to his uke, and placed a small kiss on his forehead. "You're trembling allot." his hand moved up to Spirit's head, his fingers brushing though those red locks of his. "Would you like some coffee to settle your nerves, Spirit-kun?"

"B-but I heard it Stein, I'm serious!", he said before letting out an adorable noise from being smooched and tenderly touched, calming down significantly. "It was like a whisper...I think. And it came from everywhere at once." Soon Spirit found himself lost in those beautiful amber eyes, unable to continue his sentence as he stared as if in a daze. Stein's eyes always had that affect on him.

Meanwhile, Black Star was almost done flossing his teeth when another hush came over the house, making the boy arch an eyebrow. 'That sounded...not like dad or mom.', he thought as he looked around. Not seeing anything, he bent down and began to slurp up water from the sink so that he could gargle.

Stein's eyes keep on the other male, until he also herd that whisper. His hand stopped moving, and his eyes darted around for a moment. That wasn't the normal voices he heard in his head. It was....different. He quickly removed himself from Spirit, and tensed up slightly. "...Did you hear something?" he asked his partner, his voice colder than just a moment ago.

"You heard it too!?", came the frightened reply by Spirit, whom was now twitching again at hearing the voice again. Stein had told him once about hearing voices, but what was this?

Black Star gargling deeply, hearing another hushed whisper that sounded closer. He began to sweat in a silent fear, wondering if his dad was playing tricks on him again. Bending down to spit, the hush disappeared. Blinking, he stood up again to see a shadowy figure with a horrifying face standing behind him in the mirror, grinning like mad over his shoulder. Screaming, he turned around, swinging a fist and tumbling over as nothing was there.

Stein opened his mouth to say something to his lover, but the sound of Black*Star's cry over powered him. The moment the young boys cry hit Stein's ears, his hands where jolting with electricity, and he was running like a Kenyan. Within moments, Stein was at the bathroom door. His heart was pounding, after he herd the crash of the young boy. With one swift kick, the door gave way, and Stein ran in, his hands jolting like the lighting outside. "Black*Star!" he said, his voice a bit frantic. "Are you ok?!"

Breathing heavy on the floor, Black Star turned frantic eyes up to his father. He immediately got to his feet and launched at the doctor, hugging his adoptive father close as he shook. "th....the mirror." His voice quivered as if he was about to cry.

Meanwhile Spirit was making his way to the bathroom, a worried look on his face as his eyes scanned over the boy. His voice was a bit lower, a more serious tone as his head tilted downward a bit. "Stein...I think some one is in the house...Is Black Star okay?"

His hands fell back to normal, and he wrapped his arms around the young one, keeping him very close. "He said something about the mirror.." his eyes looked over to it. It seemed normal enough. "I haven't felt any soul waves." Stein's voice was low, but his eyes locked on spirit. "Do you think it could be a Kishin.. or worse, a witch?" He had always feared they would come to his home to attack. But it was just a childish fear. "Let's look around before we make any assumptions." he kept his arms wrapped around Black*Star for dear life.

"A kishin? In this house?", Spirit's voice turned a more serious and defensive tone. With a glimmer, he switched into weapon mode, ready to destroy anything that threatened his family. 'I may not have been a good daddy to Maka, but I'll be damned if I let anyone touch Black Star.' Another hush ran through the house, seeming more like a quiet yawn then a whisper, sounding like it was coming from the living room.

With his left hand, he grabbed the base of his weapon, the light reflecting off of it. Within his right hand, he held black Star on his hip, as if carrying a child. "Is things get bad, Black*Star, I want you to run to Shinigami's home, alright? Wait there for more instructions from me." he looked to his weapon, then back to the door. He slid on out, and placed Black*Star on the floor, keeping a good hold of his hand. And with that, he headed off for the living room.

Black Star silently watched as his parental figures left him there, feeling somewhat abandoned as he sat on the floor, eyes darting around the small bathroom. In the darkness, he could hear each individual noise, the dripping of the sink, the hissing of pipes in the wall, the pounding of the rain outside, and a feint cracking noise. Standing to his feet, his eyes looked around, noticing that the mirror now had a huge crack in it, one that only he would see. Bit by bit the crack became bigger, traveling to the rim of the mirror before ascending down through the sink, the porcelain cracking and shattering down the center as Black*Star's eyes widened, his breath hitching as the cracking stopped right at his feet, a small set of fingers curling out of the gaping hole in the floor, reaching for his foot. Not even screaming, he turned and ran to the living room. The hush of whispers around the house began to rise, turning from whispers into talking that echoed about, saying random things that made no sense.

Stein's hand began to tremble slightly; the sounds around him began to rise and fall. He had heard theses many a night, but they where inside of his head. Now, they seemed to be everywhere. His breathing all but stopped. With skill, Stein slipped around a few corners, watching for anything that moved, or made a sound. The voiced seemed to be getting a bit louder, causing Stein's body to go cold. He had always feared the madness. With a crack of thunder, the lights flickered, shutting off completely. "Fuck."

Black Star fumbled through the darkness, gripping his head as the voices screamed all around before going deadly silent. Everything else seemed to slow down in noise until they were all completely snuffed out, even the sound of his breathing. The blue haired boy's frantic eyes searched the emptiness for anything, just a sign that his father was there to save him, but nothing. Softly though, he heard a man's voice humming in the distance. "D...dad?", he said as he followed his father's voice through the darkness and out of sight.

Black Star fumbled through the darkness, gripping his head as the voices screamed all around before going deadly silent. Everything else seemed to slow down in noise until they were all completely snuffed out, even the sound of his breathing. The blue haired boy's frantic eyes searched the emptiness for anything, just a sign that his father was there to save him, but nothing. Softly though, he heard a man's voice humming in the distance. "d...dad?", he said as he followed his father's voice through the darkness and out of sight.

In the darkness of his father's lab, he saw Stein sitting in a chair, back turned to the boy as he continued to hum a merry tune. Black Star walked quickly over to his dad and tried to get his attention. "Dad?" The humming stopped, Stein's hand coming up as he turned around, gripping a hold of Black Star as he stared ahead at what looked like his father, but with a gaping hole in his face, lined with metal borders around a shimmering mirror. The star child gasped in horror as the dark figure appeared within it, screaming loudly. Turning around, he saw that the dark figure was actually a bloody twisted version of himself, grinning from ear to ear as he stared nose to nose with Black Star, whom was so scared he couldn't move.

An inhuman sounding shriek pierced the air around the entire house as thunder cracked once more.

Stein looked around the living room a bit more. Everything seemed quiet there, other than the sound of his own Breathing. He wanted to say something to his partner, when the screaming reached his ears. The first thing to go through his mind was Black*Star. He took off moments later, his legs pushing off the ground. With a slide, he slid down most of the hall way, and to the stairs, where he jumped all of them, landing on his feet like a cat. Without waiting for a recovery, he bolted into the lab, to see Black Star. "Black Star!" he yelped out.

The screaming never stopped as the boy sat there on the floor, knees tucked up to his chest as he screamed, gripping his head with wide pure green eyes. The boy shook and contorted, whirling around and wailing like some sort of demon on the floor in what looked like a seizure, blood spilling out of his mouth as he clawed into his own face, tears ebbing down tan cheeks.

Spirit turned into his human form, quickly opening the drawer and pulling out the bottle, tossing it to Stein as he went to find an unused needle. Grabbing one, he ran back over, eying the boy fearfully with a panicked expression. "oh god! OH GOD!! WHATS GOING ON!!?"

Black Star's voice was throaty and demonic as he thrashed violently in Stein's grip, screaming as his eyes showed so many emotions at once before snapping into an almost pleading look as his body spasmed.

Stein grabbed both the bottle and the needle. Thank god for his years of training as a doctor. Shoving the needle into the bottle, he pulled on the bottom, filling up the syringe. With moments, he stabbed the needle into the boy's chest, pumping him full of the liquid. He waited for it to take affect.

Spirit watched uneasily as the boy retched out an even louder scream, his throat horse and bloody from overuse as he thrashed even harder before slumping into a crumpled heap on the floor. Kneeling down, he stared at the boy to make sure he was okay, watching the now steady rise and fall of Black Star's chest, sleeping almost peacefully. "Is he..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, fearing of what the star child might be afflicted with.

"No." he got off of Black Star, and picked him up within his arms. "He'll be alright now." He passed Spirit, his eyes on the sleeping bundle. "I'm going to lay him in our bed. I'll keep watch over him." he stopped, before turning to Spirit. "Bring me some band-aids and some Neosporin. Theses scratches on his face look deep." And with that, he took Black Star away from the lab, and into his own room, where he placed the boy on the bed, under the covers, and in the safe keeping of his room.

Spirit had a grim expression on his face, yet nodded anyways to his partner. Standing, he searched the lab for band aids, eventually finding some as well as Neosporin. Black*Star was on the bed, body twitching ever so slightly as his nightmares raged on. "d....dad..." He whimpered, wanting to be with his father.

Stein sat on the bed, near his son. His heart was starting to slow down now, since the action was over, and Black*Star was silent once more. Stein's hand moved over to the small boy, petting his mop of blue hair slowly, his face full of worry. How could this happen? Black*Star was at peak mental heath. He was strong willed, and even oblivious enough to most things. His glasses slipped down his nose, and he gave out a sigh. "Please be ok..."

*A couple hours later, Spirit was sitting on the bed with Stein, worrying over Black*Star and hoping he was okay. Slowly he pet the boy's head comfortingly. Suddenly there was a twitch to the boy's body and a groan after, then nothing more...only silence.

Stein gave a sigh, and stood up. "Watch him for me." he gave a nod to Spirit. "I'll go get us some coffee." and with that, he left the dark room, to get the (now cold) coffee. Thankfully, Stein could warm it up with his hands.

Slowly there was a slight movement from the boy, a small hand reaching out and gently grabbing Spirit's larger one, pulling the 'mom' closer. Spirit didn't want to wake the boy, so he let the young one pull him over, blinking in question. Suddenly the blue haired boy's eyes snapped wide open, showing the emerald green hues that were wide and...well...insane. Spirit's own eyes widened slightly without him noticing it as the boy's lips twitched before parting into a horrendously wide smile/grin. Suddenly the hand grabbing his was alit with wavelengths as he proceeded to shock the ever-loving shit out of Spirit.

Stein's body froze. The feel of the wave hit him, making him place the coffee back on the counter. That couldn't of been Spirit. Was it Black Star? No... It couldn't be. He should be out for a few days! Hell, he didn't even have that much power. Slowly, he made his way back to investigate.

There was Spirit, lying halfway off of the bed, unconscious, twitching, and slightly crispy. The boy, however, was nowhere to be found. Even his wavelength seemed to be gone as he hid amongst the shadows somewhere...somewhere...watching.

Stein looked down at his lover, his face never changing. "...Hm." he raised one eye brow at the crispy Spirit. "Oh damn. Where's Bl-' He looked to the bed, to find him missing. That's when his heart skipped a beat. Could it have been him who took out Spirit? Stein's hands twitched. This wasn't good.

The thunder crackled once more, light flashing off of a figure that was previously concealed in the shadows, yet gone when the flicker stopped. It was Black Star, standing with an insane grin on his face, blood dripping down the corner of his mouth as his lips twitched, almost as if he was the moon.

Stein's body froze the moment he saw Black*Star. Dear god, had the boy lost it? Stein's hands began to flicker a bit, as he began to back out of the room. He had to get down to the lab. At least then, he could get some kind of item to knock out Black*Star, without hurting the poor boy.

A childlike chuckle rang out from around Stein. "Heyyyy daaddyyy? Mommy went to sleep. Lets play together instead~" The voice was smooth, yet echoed through the house with an inhuman tone that mingled into the words.

Stein got in a bit of a defensive mode. He wasn't above blowing Back*Star back, but he wouldn't hurt the boy. It had been a long time since he had felt fear.

The boy giggled, before appearing in Stein's face, arms wrapped around Stein's neck as his forehead rested against his father's. He may have gone insane at the moment, but he still held Stein in high regards...somewhat. Planting a soft childish kiss to Stein's nose, he leaned back and disappeared once more, reappearing behind Stein, his own hands crackling with energy before he shoved them against the medic.

The doctor had been taken back by the boys speed. He had never seen such a thing. The kiss had thrown him off, so his brain didn't have time to react to the attack as quickly. He took the hit, his body being shocked. He did a quick turn, his own hand stopping the rest of the assault, by smacking into the boys.

Lights crackled and flickered as the two's hands locked together, Black Star's fingers curling around as if they were simply holding hands, his grin widening. "Ah, did I hurt you daddy? I'm sorry." He said as he looked up, eyes flickering ever so slightly with the crackling wavelengths before he shoved Stein backwards, disappearing once more into the darkness.

Stein stumbled a bit, his hands falling by his side. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cig box, and pulled one out, placing it between his lips. He pulled out his lighter; he lit the tip, and took a drag. "Who would of known.." he said to himself. "That my own Son would have the makings of a Kishin..." with that, he chuckled softly, making his way back out into the hall way.

Slowly the patting of feet is heard as the boy walks up to his father, holding Bear Star close. His eyes were almost blank, yet eerily held some sort of innocence. Slowly he kept walking without saying a word, face slowly contorting as tears ebbed down his face, the liquids tinting ever so slightly with red. Stopping in front of Stein, he stares straight forward, clutching his bear tightly before dropping it to the floor, eyes slowly casting up to the doctor.

Stein's hands began to shake a bit, his body involuntarily stepping back a bit. He was trying hard not to show any fear, but his soul was shaking. He had never seen such a sight, and even in his insanity, he had never seen such a frightening sight.

Black Star's eyes widened as he reached a hand out, stepping forward and pressing his hand gently to his father's own hand, grabbing it like a scared child would. His voice barely a whisper as all he said was his adoptive father's name, but no sooner had he done that, had a blur of images begin rushing through the poor doctor's brain. He watched through eyes that shouldn't remember, watching an entire clan being ripped apart right in front of him. Emotions surging through Stein that even Black Star didn't remember ever feeling from the subject as mother and father, though kishin, tried desperately to keep shinigami san away from their only living son. Women, children, and elderly...all brutally having their flesh rended from bones right in front of him. Those wide young eyes that Death couldn't bring himself to destroy.

Stein's body felt numb as he was touched. What a powerful boy, to be able to transfer memories--- even those in what he couldn't remember. Stein Keep a hold of the young ones hand, after the memories had been transferred and the darkness settled back into Stein's eyes. Within moments, Stein got down on his knees, to Black Stars height. His own yellow eyes stared into the others, unknowing what to say, or what to do. In the back of his mind, he was told to run, but his numb body would not move. Nor would it respond to anything else.

The boy inched forward, pressing his forehead to Stein's as his face twitched. Part of him remembered that he loved his papa dearly...his heart. Hugging his father around the neck, he whispered in an echo. "Promise me you won't leave me." A quote he had said in the past to the insane doctor.

Stein blinked a few times, his own arms moving around the boy. His hair moved into his face, covering his eyes. "I promise, Black*Star." he pulled the boy in closer, keeping him very still.

"...family..." The boy's face nuzzled into his father's chest. Even in insanity, he felt the need to be held. It wasn't until the boy was adopted that he had realized before just how much he wanted a family of his own...a parent. His trembling slowly subsided as he leaned into Stein a bit more, like as if his chest was a pillow. "Don't worry...Black Star is fine right now..." He said with a weird tone to his voice, "You can hide it, but it is always there." With that, the boy collapsed into Stein completely. He was now unconscious, looking as normal as ever.

Stein took the boy into his arms, and held him lovingly. At least he knew he would be alright. Soon, he had gotten up, and began to take the boy back to his room, to let him rest-- and to fix up Spirit. Slowly he creped down the hall way, his feet silenced by the carpet. His eyes glimpsed over to the side, just as what look liked a female's shadow moved, and was gone. He shook his head, knowing he'd think about it later. Within hours, He had fixed up Spirit, and had Black Star's cuts all fixed up as well. He then collapsed on the bed with the others.

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